12-year-old makes Knights debut through Make-A-Wish

CHARLOTTE - Timothy “Eli” Shenise signed a one-day contract with the Charlotte Knights on Sunday. Eli, a 12-year-old boy from Pineville, is battling Burkitt’s Lymphoma. Through the Make-A-Wish organization, Eli’s wish to become a Charlotte Knights player for a day was granted.

Knights Chief Operating Officer Dan Rajkowski, along with team manager Joel Skinner, presented Eli with a one-day contract in front of family, friends, members of the media, and Charlotte Knights players and staff members.

Once the contract was signed, Eli was taken down to the Knights clubhouse where he had his own locker and his own jersey waiting for him.

The jersey featured his name and number 37.

Throughout the day, Eli practiced with the team. He will later take the field as the team’s first baseman in the 7:05 p.m. game against the Gwinnett Braves.

Knights players will wear bright green ribbon wristbands during Sunday’s game, which stands for all forms of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas.